Molded Dried Fruit Product Bonding for Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available dried fruits are difficult to eat due to their small or non-uniform sizes, which can make them inconvenient to consume without compromising their flavor.
Innovation Solution
A molded dried fruit product is created by bonding small pieces of dried fruits together using heat to make their surfaces adhesive, forming them into shapes like cubes, chunks, or slices, and optionally incorporating additives for improved flavor and texture, and can be produced using a microwave oven or mold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If dried fruits are used in small pieces, then they are easier to store and preserve, but they become difficult to eat as they need to be pinched a little at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple small dried fruit pieces into a single molded unit by heating their surfaces to create adhesiveness. This merging approach maintains the small piece form factor for storage while creating a larger, easier-to-handle edible unit that can be picked up and eaten conveniently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary heating to the dried fruit pieces before final assembly to create adhesive surfaces. This preliminary action prepares the pieces for bonding, enabling them to stick together and form a unified molded structure that is easier to eat while preserving the original small piece characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If dried fruits are sliced or chopped into larger pieces, then they are easier to handle, but their individual forms after drying are not uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and surface properties of dried fruit pieces through controlled heating at 70-120°C. This parameter change creates adhesive surfaces that allow irregularly shaped pieces to bond together, forming uniform external shapes while maintaining the natural characteristics of the individual fruit pieces inside.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by bonding multiple dried fruit pieces together through heated adhesive surfaces. The resulting molded product combines various fruit pieces into a unified form with consistent external dimensions, achieving manufacturing precision while incorporating natural variations in the constituent materials.
3Ease of operation
If dried fruits are molded into uniform shapes, then they are easier to eat and handle, but the process requires additional heating and bonding steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service approach where the dried fruit pieces themselves provide the bonding mechanism through their own surface properties. By heating the fruit surfaces to create natural adhesiveness, the material serves its own bonding function without requiring external adhesives or complex molding equipment, thus reducing device complexity while achieving uniform shapes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The molded product offers improved ease of consumption while maintaining the flavor and nutritional value of dried fruits, providing a novel form that is easy to handle and eat, regardless of the type of dried fruit used.
Implementation Method 1
the heating is carried out in a microwave oven
Implementation Method 2
the dried fruit pieces are heated to make the surfaces thereof adhesive, so that the dried fruit pieces are bonded together by the adhesiveness
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a molded dried fruit product that has improved eating ease. Specifically, the present invention provides a molded dried fruit product obtained by bonding small pieces of dried fruit together by heating or using a bonding agent, and molding the result into a desired shape.